diff --git a/Yesod/Handler.hs b/Yesod/Handler.hs
index 46ef947c..0d6cd14c 100644
--- a/Yesod/Handler.hs
+++ b/Yesod/Handler.hs
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ module Yesod.Handler
     --, ToHandler (..)
       -- * Special handlers
     , redirect
+    , sendFile
     , notFound
     , permissionDenied
     , invalidArgs
@@ -37,7 +38,6 @@ module Yesod.Handler
 
 import Yesod.Request
 import Yesod.Response
-import Yesod.Rep
 import Yesod.Template
 import Web.Mime
 
@@ -140,6 +140,9 @@ errorResponse er = Handler $ \_ -> return ([], HCError er)
 redirect :: RedirectType -> String -> Handler yesod a
 redirect rt = specialResponse . Redirect rt
 
+sendFile :: ContentType -> FilePath -> Handler yesod a
+sendFile ct = specialResponse . SendFile ct
+
 -- | Return a 404 not found page. Also denotes no handler available.
 notFound :: Handler yesod a
 notFound = errorResponse NotFound
diff --git a/Yesod/Helpers/Static.hs b/Yesod/Helpers/Static.hs
index 6d9a91a1..83a98fc0 100644
--- a/Yesod/Helpers/Static.hs
+++ b/Yesod/Helpers/Static.hs
@@ -24,13 +24,13 @@ module Yesod.Helpers.Static
 
 import qualified Data.ByteString.Lazy as B
 import System.Directory (doesFileExist)
-import Control.Applicative ((<$>))
 import Control.Monad
 
 import Yesod
 import Data.List (intercalate)
 
-type FileLookup = FilePath -> IO (Maybe B.ByteString)
+-- FIXME this type is getting ugly...
+type FileLookup = FilePath -> IO (Maybe (Either FilePath B.ByteString))
 
 -- | A 'FileLookup' for files in a directory. Note that this function does not
 -- check if the requested path does unsafe things, eg expose hidden files. You
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ fileLookupDir dir fp = do
     let fp' = dir ++ '/' : fp
     exists <- doesFileExist fp'
     if exists
-        then Just <$> B.readFile fp' -- FIXME replace lazy I/O when possible
+        then return $ Just $ Left fp'
         else return Nothing
 
 serveStatic :: FileLookup -> Verb -> [String]
@@ -58,7 +58,8 @@ getStatic fl fp' = do
     content <- liftIO $ fl fp
     case content of
         Nothing -> notFound
-        Just bs -> return [(typeByExt $ ext fp, cs bs)]
+        Just (Left fp'') -> sendFile (typeByExt $ ext fp'') fp''
+        Just (Right bs) -> return [(typeByExt $ ext fp, cs bs)]
       where
         isUnsafe [] = True
         isUnsafe ('.':_) = True
diff --git a/Yesod/Rep.hs b/Yesod/Rep.hs
index 10c44861..a8facc6a 100644
--- a/Yesod/Rep.hs
+++ b/Yesod/Rep.hs
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ module Yesod.Rep
     , Template (..)
     , TemplateFile (..)
     , Static (..)
-    , StaticFile (..)
 #if TEST
     , testSuite
 #endif
@@ -40,7 +39,6 @@ module Yesod.Rep
 
 import Data.ByteString.Lazy (ByteString)
 import Data.Text.Lazy (Text)
-import qualified Data.ByteString.Lazy as BL
 import Web.Mime
 
 #if TEST
@@ -102,19 +100,6 @@ data Static = Static ContentType ByteString
 instance HasReps Static where
     chooseRep (Static ct bs) _ = return (ct, Content $ const $ return bs)
 
-data StaticFile = StaticFile ContentType FilePath
-instance HasReps StaticFile where
-    chooseRep (StaticFile ct fp) _ = do
-        bs <- BL.readFile fp
-        return (ct, Content $ const $ return bs)
-
--- Useful instances of HasReps
-instance HasReps HtmlObject where
-    chooseRep = defChooseRep
-        [ (TypeHtml, return . cs . unHtmlDoc . cs)
-        , (TypeJson, return . cs . unJsonDoc . cs)
-        ]
-
 #if TEST
 caseChooseRepHO :: Assertion
 caseChooseRepHO = do
diff --git a/Yesod/Response.hs b/Yesod/Response.hs
index cc37d40b..621ebbfb 100644
--- a/Yesod/Response.hs
+++ b/Yesod/Response.hs
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ import Data.Maybe (mapMaybe)
 import Data.ByteString.Lazy (ByteString)
 import Data.Text.Lazy (Text)
 import Yesod.Definitions
+import Data.Object.Json
 
 import Web.Encodings (formatW3)
 import qualified Hack
@@ -61,7 +62,6 @@ import Data.Object.Html
 import Test.Framework (testGroup, Test)
 #endif
 
-import Data.Convertible.Text (cs)
 import Web.Mime
 
 newtype Content = Content { unContent :: [Language] -> IO ByteString }
@@ -79,8 +79,7 @@ instance ConvertSuccess XmlDoc Content where
 
 type ChooseRep = [ContentType] -> IO (ContentType, Content)
 
--- | Any type which can be converted to representations. There must be at least
--- one representation for each type.
+-- | Any type which can be converted to representations.
 class HasReps a where
     chooseRep :: a -> ChooseRep
 
@@ -114,6 +113,13 @@ instance HasReps [(ContentType, Content)] where
                     (x:_) -> x
                     _ -> error "chooseRep [(ContentType, Content)] of empty"
 
+-- FIXME remove this instance? only good for debugging, maybe special debugging newtype?
+instance HasReps HtmlObject where
+    chooseRep = defChooseRep
+        [ (TypeHtml, return . cs . unHtmlDoc . cs)
+        , (TypeJson, return . cs . unJsonDoc . cs)
+        ]
+
 data Response = Response Int [Header] ContentType Content
 
 -- | Different types of redirects.
diff --git a/Yesod/Yesod.hs b/Yesod/Yesod.hs
index daa9f15d..72abfd8b 100644
--- a/Yesod/Yesod.hs
+++ b/Yesod/Yesod.hs
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ module Yesod.Yesod
     , toHackApp
     ) where
 
-import Yesod.Rep
 import Data.Object.Html (toHtmlObject)
 import Yesod.Response
 import Yesod.Request